diff --git a/lib/upipe-modules/upipe_transfer.c b/lib/upipe-modules/upipe_transfer.c
index 15507a43b..fd25d9871 100644
--- a/lib/upipe-modules/upipe_transfer.c
+++ b/lib/upipe-modules/upipe_transfer.c
@@ -632,8 +632,9 @@ static int _upipe_xfer_mgr_attach(struct upipe_mgr *mgr,
 static inline int _upipe_xfer_mgr_freeze(struct upipe_mgr *mgr)
 {
     struct upipe_xfer_mgr *xfer_mgr = upipe_xfer_mgr_from_upipe_mgr(mgr);
+    UBASE_RETURN(umutex_lock(xfer_mgr->mutex));
     upipe_mgr_use(mgr);
-    return umutex_lock(xfer_mgr->mutex);
+    return UBASE_ERR_NONE;
 }
 
 /** @This thaws the remote event loop previously frozen by @ref